Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what support is available for people with diabetes to ensure that they can continue to live independently.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence quality standard for diabetes sets out that people with diabetes should receive a structured educational programme as this is key to ensuring that they are able to manage their condition as successfully as possible.

While there is still much room for improvement, the proportion of people with diabetes being offered structured education is rising. 16% of people newly diagnosed with diabetes were offered structured education in 2012/13 compared to just over 8% of those diagnosed in 2009. In the same period the number of people newly diagnosed with diabetes offered or attending structured education rose from 11% to over 18%.

Improving the outcomes of people with and at risk of diabetes is of great concern to this Government and we will put forward our plans in due course.